Loop Quantum Cosmology

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent progress in loop quantum cosmology, including model quantization, singularity resolution, effective equations, quantum perturbations, and implications for inflation and phenomenology.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive, pedagogical overview of advances in loop quantum cosmology, emphasizing new methods and applications to inflation and quantum gravity effects.

Findings

Singularity resolution in homogeneous models

Effective equations with quantum corrections

Quantum perturbations in quantum backgrounds

Abstract

This Chapter provides an up to date, pedagogical review of some of the most relevant advances in loop quantum cosmology. We review the quantization of homogeneous cosmological models, their singularity resolution and the formulation of effective equations that incorporate the main quantum corrections to the dynamics. We also summarize the theory of quantized metric perturbations propagating in those quantum backgrounds. Finally, we describe how this framework can be applied to obtain a self-consistent extension of the inflationary scenario to incorporate quantum aspects of gravity, and to explore possible phenomenological consequences.